Dear British Genealogy/Hampshire Forum

Our ancestor Robert Thrasher/Thresher was born 1826/1831 in Southampton, Hampshire.

Southampton Local Archives and Hampshire Local Archives have been unable to find a baptism for Robert - possibly because the records were destroyed during the Blitz in the Second World War.

We may have found Robert in the 1841 census as a servant but not in the 1851 census and 1861 census - he may be a soldier, sailor, merchant or work for the East India Company.

We believe that his wife-to-be Priscilla May Pope emigrated from Hartest, Suffolk between 1851 and 1861 to escape poverty from the rural depression in East Anglia as she is not found on the 1861 census - and married Robert Thrasher abroad as we cannot find a wedding certificate for them.

They return to England London by 1868 when they have their first known child Eliza Priscilla Thrasher.

Priscilla is a widow by the 1881 census and her brother Alfred Pope born 1836 Hartest is living with her and her daughters in a lodging house - perhaps she emigrated to be with her brother as this is the only trace we find of Alfred in the 1881 census - perhaps he emigrated again after 1881 and the rest of this family who disappear from official records with regularity could be visiting him, or older unknown siblings who stayed living abroad or other unknown Thrasher family or Pope family.

The Robert Thrasher who dies in 1879 London Strand we believe is not our Robert as he is a fireman on the death certificate - our Robert had administration roles - private secretary, secretary, solicitor's clerk, process server and messenger - we believe he worked and died abroad.

Is it possible to know where Robert would have emigrated to in the Empire from Southampton and who he would have worked for?

Thank you for your help.